Well it started out innocent enough. A friend (my boss) is interested in getting an AR-15 so I started poking around since he has a good friend that says he can build a decent bare bones one for about 700. So I stated to look around to see what a person could buy for that.

Low and behold I found a "California" version from Smith and Wesson. I am still not sure of all the differences or what I am missing out on since I could have bought a non California gun, but it was a Del Ton and would have been at least 130 more than what I paid for the Smith. Plus I still would have had to buy a sight.

I hope to be able to shoot it in the morning before work.:D We have a plentiful supply of rabbits at the wrecking yard, I might get lucky and see one.

allaroundhunter

November 12, 2012, 11:58 PM

Well...you are missing out on a good bit to be honest.

You will most likely have a pinned stock and/or a bullet button that makes it much more difficult and time consuming to change magazines.

Thankfully, you aren't limited to just 10 round magazines, too...

Now, the good thing is that you *should* be able to remove the bullet button and replace it with a normal magazine release. And if you want to possibly replace a stock if it has been pinned in place (I am not 100% sure though).

grubbylabs

November 13, 2012, 12:13 AM

So far I am not too worried about being able to do a speedy magazine change or adjust the stock, the gun is just for fun. The biggest reason I bought it is that prices are starting to rise and I have a bad feeling that our right to own them could be threatened. I would not be surprised to see our gutless Republican congress concede some gun rights to preserve tax breaks or other budget deals. Basically it was the least expensive one I could find already built. I know its going to be missing some options that some think are necessary but I am not yet convinced they are all needed.

allaroundhunter

November 13, 2012, 12:17 AM

Well, if things go the way some are worried about, you might just make a very pretty penny selling that gun to CA residents.

Enough to even make a step up in the AR manufacturer world if you want to.

Metal god

November 13, 2012, 12:20 AM

Yep you should have a bullet button on there . That meens you need a small pointed tool or a bullet to push the mag release . The stock should not be pinned . The bullet button allows people in CA to have all the other cool stuff flash hider , collapsible stocks , forward grips etc . Im not completely sure but I think the bullet button must be permanet to be legal . I believe that meens they use locktite or some other permanent thread lock . You will need to heat the bolt/nut up with a soldering iron to loosen the thead lock . Try to remove it with out heat first . I have a Del-Ton 316 for CA . I'll go see if mine is permanent .

EDIT : yep it has some type of thread lock on there . No way I can turn that little nut :( . As for the gun it self I love mine It works very well and I been running it pretty hard as of late . I also used a Del-Ton upper to build an AR and it's working great as well . You did not make a bad choice . Maybe on the CA version but not on the gun it self .:)

Can you release the mag with just your finger ? if so you do not have the bullet button .

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/835/phone2011.jpg

grubbylabs

November 13, 2012, 12:30 AM

There is a rather large button to release the mag, so it must not be the bullet button.

The stock has an allen bolt going through the adjuster but when removed it does not slide. Again I am not worried about it not being able to adjust the stock, I like it where it is at and do not see any reason for my self to have it adjustable.

So might this not be a "California" version, could it just be a "economy" model, fewer popular options to cut down on cost?

Quentin2

November 13, 2012, 12:36 AM

If you bought it in an Idaho gun shop it shouldn't be CA compliant. Does it have a bayonet lug and a screw-on flash hider? I assume it's the S&W Sport? You might want to have your boss's friend look at it as far as compliance.

allaroundhunter

November 13, 2012, 12:36 AM

If the adjustable stock does not move then it is the CA model. The bullet button still has the large mag release, but you have to use a small tip to actually depress it.

Perhaps you did just purchase the Sport and will find out soon that the stock will actually move ;)

Either way, the Sport is a fine rifle, and you will be pleased!

grubbylabs

November 13, 2012, 12:41 AM

simply pressing the button drops the mag with almost no effort.

allaroundhunter

November 13, 2012, 12:46 AM

Does it have the standard AR pistol grip?

Metal god

November 13, 2012, 12:49 AM

It sounds more like a N.Y. legal AR . Fixed stock , most likely has the flash hider pinned and no bayonet lug . That is also more like the original federal AWB specs .

allaroundhunter

November 13, 2012, 12:50 AM

A picture would fix all of this very quickly ;)

Metal god

November 13, 2012, 12:51 AM

LOL yep

chris in va

November 13, 2012, 01:19 AM

The regular Sport runs about $650. I don't know why someone would sell a CA compliant Sport for $50 more.

grubbylabs

November 13, 2012, 08:47 AM

If I have time at work I will post some pics but it does not have a threaded muzzle, just a clean smooth barrel all the way to the end. In fact it almost looks like a bull barrel but it is a little to skinny.

grubbylabs

November 13, 2012, 10:35 AM

Well here are some pics hope this helps you out. I found on the box where a store tag said sport on it. It shoots nice I was only able pop off a few rounds but I should be able to put some more through it this week end.

Metal god

November 13, 2012, 11:14 AM

looks good your going to have alot of fun with that . It apears to be a model from the orirgial federal AWB . It should do the job quite well and with no flash hider on there it will be fun to shoot at night( BIG flame out the front ) .I don't know why I thought you bought a del-ton :confused: I clearly misread something .

grubbylabs

November 13, 2012, 01:37 PM

they had a Del Ton but it was for 700 something closer to the 800 mark. Plus I would have had to get a sight for it. Either way with many of the local gun shops increasing prices along with the sales increase I could not let it sit there. I think they are going to go through the roof in my area for a while. Its even getting local media attention which is kinda sad.

Bart Noir

November 14, 2012, 03:02 PM

That gun is a "compliant" version... (Anybody else think "compliant" sounds like it belongs on another sort of forum? :D )

It certainly has a built-in trigger guard, while the earlier M&P15 models had a separate trigger guard just like the M16. I bought the first M&P15 Tactical I found here in the Seattle area and have put on the MagPul trigger guard. The .22 rimfire and "compliant" versions seem to have the solid built-in trigger guard. Interesting.

Makes me wonder if S&W is switching them all over to the built-in trigger guard.

Bart Noir

JimDandy

November 14, 2012, 03:17 PM

Just as a veer here, where in Seattle do you shoot Bart? I've shot some at Kenmore, pistol at Wade's on the east side, and just recently went down to Tacoma Sportsman's club while carpooling on an all day trip with my brother.. he had morning stuff, I had evening/shopping stuff, so I shot while he worked, then we both went to Cabelas :D

grubbylabs

November 14, 2012, 10:55 PM

Is there a way to un pin the stock or would it be easier to just get the adjustable stock. I would like for my wife to be able to shoot it as well.

Metal god

November 14, 2012, 11:50 PM

If the stock is pinned it's likely the castle nut is staked as well . See picture it's the lttle dimple/dot in the notch of the casle nut . If yours is staked you will need to grind/file that away to unscrew the nut . If you can just remove the pin by punch or by unscrewing it .that would be best , you should then be able to remove the old one and slide on the new one or even keep the same one on there . It then should be Collapsible the way it was designed

http://imageshack.us/a/img837/2779/guns089.jpg

grubbylabs

November 15, 2012, 12:03 AM

Ya that's not enough to slow me down I can get past those dimples. I am just not sure how the locking mechanism works for the adjusting stock and if I can make it work on what I have or if it would just be less hassle to get one meant to adjust.

Metal god

November 15, 2012, 12:29 AM

Once the stock is no longer pinned . You just pull on the lever that alows you to collaps the stock and pull it off . If you talking about removing the buffer tube and replacing everything here's a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7ulYJN6OCo

grubbylabs

November 15, 2012, 11:18 AM

There is an allen bolt that goes though the adjuster lever. So there is no locking mechanism on it.

Bart Noir

November 16, 2012, 06:12 PM

JimDandy, I shoot 50 and 100 yard rifle at the Seattle Police Athletic Association at south end of Boeing Field. I also shoot 25 and 50 yard pistol there.

But since SPAA is busy trying to redo the 15 yard pistol capability, I have to go to an indoor range for snubby practice. My choices are Champion Arms in the Kent valley, or Federal Way Guns in Federal Way (new location with a range). Or, if I am a little farther south, there is Bullseye in Tacoma near the dome.

You may notice I am a south-ender :p

Bart Noir

JimDandy

November 17, 2012, 02:17 PM

I'm an Eastsider. Mostly I go to Kenmore, though I don't particularly like it. I don't DISLIKE it either... They don't have a ton of bells and whistles to make up for a ton of rules that don't necessarily make sense. If you're on the south end, have you been to the Tacoma Sportsman's club? I was just down there on a fluke the other day, and I loved the place dearly. It felt very home made, like something my uncle would generate in the back yard of his farm.. dirt piles behind plywood you staple targets to up a slight slope to get different ranges... but the guys running it were beyond nice, it had a distance for almost everyone. The only downside that was really a downside (having spent enough summers on a farm, homemade quality doesn't bother me at all, I actually often find it charming as long as it's safe) is the number of benches. If you want to shoot there, it opens at 9 AM. I'd be there at least 15 if not 30 minutes early. They have a steel gong at 225 that tickled me pretty much all day long, once I got confident enough to aim at it.

Edit: By the way, how is the SPAA range? It's members only, and I'm trying to find a range that's not too far away (like Tacoma Sportsman's probably is) that has rifle, pistol and shotgun... and that I like better than Kenmore. I understand SPAA got rid of their trap range with no plans of it returning?